Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Mon Feb 7 15:35:49 2005

>>> I'm a bit confused. What I'm confused about is this...is the PLT created by a rearward pull of the bat by the top hand (which starts the swing and moves the bat into the swing plane)? If so, that really wouldn't be "pre" launch would it? Or is PLT created by a top hand movement that pushes the barrel forward toward the pitcher a la Sheffield? It seems to me (and my non-scientific brain) that the Sheffield forward movement of the barrel could generate more bat speed at contact (if the timing of this movement were timed correctly). Is this the preferred method of creating PLT? <<<

Hi Jon

It is important to note that the bat-head is not accelerated from the launch position toward the pitcher. The bat-head is first accelerated in an arc rearward toward the catcher and then around toward the pitcher. During PLT, the pulling back of the top-hand sweeps the bat-head from a cocked forward position back toward the normal launch position. The top-hand continues to be pulled rearward during initiation (THT) to keep the bat-head accelerating rearward before the batter directs his energy toward the ball. -- PLT is applied before body rotation and the swing isinitiated - THT refers to torque applied during initaition.

Jack Mankin